Stuck Together
by Wolfgirl706
Summary: Victoria and her army are coming for Bella so Edward sends Bella away to Italy to stay in Voltera. To stay in a palace filled with bloodthirsty vampires. And to make matters even worse, Caius has been appointed to look after her. Adopted from DaughterofHadesandNyx.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer on profile

* * *

Chapter One: Bella

Of all the stupid damn ideas Edward had to come up with _this_ was one of them? To _protect_ me from Victoria and her army of newborns, he sends me to Volterra? Ok, well _escorts_ me to Volterra, and asks a bunch of bloodthirsty vampire aristocrats to look after me? Nice job Edward, you win the award for stupidest idea of the year award.

After a whole day of non-stop pleading, yelling and crying, I was on a plane to Italy with Carlisle, Esme, Alice and Edward, Alice had had to persuade Jasper to stay behind.

We landed in Volterra in the middle of the day when it was swelteringly hot and the only thing that I kept me from bolting back to the plane was Edward's cool arm around my waist. "Come on. They're expecting us."

Oh joy. Being expected by vampire royalty.

We wound through the streets of Volterra, through crowds of people talking loudly in Italian, they were all human, and if there were other vampires among them- they remained oblivious to the fact. I looked up at Edward, decided to forgive him for a moment, "Are they?"

He understood and nodded. "Felix and Demetri are flanking us, Jane will be waiting for us when we reach the tunnel."

"I still don't think this is a good idea." I told him.

Edward laughed softly. "Did you ever?"

I decided to go back to being mad at him.

~~~(O.o)~~~

The short tunnel led straight down into the depths of Volterra. Jane guided us through some narrow twisting halls and corridors that I knew I would never be able to remember my way through until we reached a pair of large ornate doors that stretched from the floor to forty feet up, touching the ceiling. They looked like they would need fifty buff men to open. Jane pushed the doors inwards without any apparent effort because of her vampire strength.

The hall was filled with vampires. Well not really filled. There were only twelve or so there, and three seated on thrones at the end of the hall. My heartbeat hammered in my ears. Great. If I could hear it, it obviously meant every other damn vampire in this damn hall could hear it.

We approached the three thrones. One of them, the one sitting on the right had brown hair and while his face was handsome his utterly dead expression ruined it. The one on the left had ruler straight long snow white hair, and while his features were perfect, it was disfigured by a scowl of hatred. The one in the middle, who I remembered as Aro, stood. His face was also perfect, and had an almost maniac expression of glee.

"Carlisle!" Aro exclaimed, standing and ghosting over to us. His walk was so graceful he seemed to float an inch above the ground. "This must be your lovely wife Esme!" He said, bowing to her and kissing her hand. Esme was polite enough to not yank it from his grasp. "I received your letter! I see that young Isabella will be staying with us for a while!"

The whole room fell deathly silent. Even my heart seemed to have stopped beating. It was obvious that they hadn't been informed before of my stay. Only Marcus, who still looked bored, and Caius seemed to know, but Caius was still giving me the death glare, so it was obvious he didn't approve either. Aro ignored all this. He reached out to shake Carlisle's hand, reading every thought that Carlisle ever had. Sometimes I didn't think it was fair that vampires got special 'powers' along with all their other enhanced abilities.

"Ah…" Aro let go of Carlisle's hand and gazed around at all of us, his hazy stare resting on me. "I see yet again young Isabella is in trouble. This newborn army, do you need assistance in clearing up this mess?"

I was starting to get annoyed with his constant tying up the word young to my name. Plus my name was _Bella_.

Edward stiffened beside me- obviously reading something in Aro's thoughts. Carlisle replied. "No, thank you. We will be fine. We merely thought it best for Bella to be put out of harm's way in the meanwhile."

"Indeed. Then I expect you should be returning to America soon to see that it is dealt with." Aro stated, then adding, "although perhaps it would have been better if you had changed her."

We all tensed. I had a sudden urge to speak up. "The date is set." My voice quivering only a bit. "In a year, when I graduate."

Aro turned to me. "Of course Isabella. I was merely reminding you of our instructions."

I was shaking. "It's Bella." I said, with more bravery than I thought I had. Edward gave my arm a warning squeeze.

Finally Aro turned away from me, and back to Carlisle. "I'm sure you must be eager to return to your family, and the issue at hand. Let us not detain you for any longer." He said, clearly dismissing them. "_So_ nice to see you all again. Carlisle- Esme- Edward- _Alice…_" I heard the longing in his voice and he said her name. He had always wanted Alice's gift for himself.

Carlisle and Esme embraced me- "We'll be back before you know it." Esme told me. I nodded, trying to look confident. Alice ran up to me too and hugged me so hard I thought my ribs would shatter. "I'll have no-one to go shopping with!" she cried, and then left the hall so suddenly the speed of her passage blew my hair back. Carlisle and Esme gave me small smiles, and then left too.

Edward kissed my hair. "Have you got everything?" He asked. I nodded. I had packed a small bag full of the stuff I thought I would need. "I love you." He breathed.

"I love you more." I whispered. "Write to me alright?"

"Always." And then he was gone.

The large ornate doors boomed shut behind them. I turned back to the thrones.

~~~(O.o)~~~

Aro was still staring at me. The whole hall was silent. I shifted my weight from one foot to another, hoisting my bag higher up on my shoulder.

Eventually Aro spoke. "You really do seem to bring out the most extreme of emotions in our kind."

"Yeah, I guess so," I agreed, slightly nervous still.

He gave a light laugh, and then turned to one of his hulking guard. "Felix, could you please escort dear Bella to her room and bring her back as soon as she is settled in? I do hope you will stay with us for a long, _long_ time."

"O-okay?" I said weakly, turning to follow Felix.

"Is there something wrong with your heart?" he asked me innocently as he led me out of the room. I realized it was pounding as though I had just run a mile. "No, I'm fine." I replied.

"Indeed. You still smell as lovely as ever."

I didn't know how to take that- as I thought the only thing I would smell of would be sweat. Internally groaning, I hoped the rooms had showers. We took a few turns until we reached a rather low- not very encouraging wooden door. Felix opened it, and gestured for me to step inside. I couldn't hold back a gasp of amazement when I did. The room was beautiful.

There were no windows as we were underground, but there were electric lights stretching across the walls, with a thick carpet on the floor and a magnificent four poster bed in the corner. There was also a desk, closet and bookcase crammed with books and another door on the other side of the room that I assumed to lead to the bathroom.

Felix had heard my gasp and smirked at me. "Come on, drop your bag and we'll get back to the throne room." I didn't call that settling in, but I wasn't going to argue with the huge hulking vampire.

I dropped the bag on the bed and after a final glance at the room, walked back out. "So why did Aro say yes to me staying here?" I asked Felix, struggling to keep up, he walked slightly too quickly for a human.

Felix shrugged. "I guess a favor to Carlisle. He stayed with us a few hundred years back."

It never ceased to amaze me the way vampires treated time so indifferently.

When we reached the hall again, Aro, Caius and Marcus seemed to be in some sort of argument. Or at least Aro and Caius were. Marcus was staring blankly off into the distance.

They both turned around when we re-entered. "Ah forgive me, I did not notice you Bella."

His politeness was refreshing to hear, "It's ok."

He smiled, "Do join us; you may sit over there, by Jane."

I was horrified, but not about to ignore him, so I walked over to where Jane sat, at the side of the hall and sat down on the very edge of the bench. I knew she hated me.

"So dear ones, seeing as Miss Swan will be staying with us for a while- I think it is time to discuss her protection. Due to the fact that there are those dreadful newborns running around, and her- fragile state," I winced. This was embarrassing. "I imagine she should be guarded at all times. Does anyone think otherwise?" Aro asked.

No one said a word. I would have been flattered that they all thought so much of my well-being but then I realized they were agreeing that I couldn't look after myself. Great.

"So who would like to volunteer for this honor?" he said.

He called it an honor? Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.

Thankfully no one spoke. Everyone turned away from Aro, avoiding eye contact.

"Honestly I really don't need a guard… I don't like being watched." I said eventually, causing the eyes of all the vampires to fall on me. Oh dear.

"Oh but it is your safety at stake here. One cannot deny it is perilous to have a human here amongst so many vampires." I didn't argue, although my mind flashed back to Gianna, the human receptionist from my last trip to Volterra. She hadn't been at the desk when we had entered. Another female human had been there. "And it would be disrespectful of me to ignore your presence here, would it not?" he asked innocently.

I tried mouthing a few words, and then merely nodded. It wouldn't be smart to start arguing with him.

I saw Jane shoot me a glare and I was busy thinking, not her, not her, not her. I was so busy I didn't even think about the other possible threats.

"I wonder…"

_Not her._

Aro spun in a half circle,

_Not her_.

"If _Caius_ would make a fine protector of Bella during her stay."

* * *

**This is just kind of like a teaser I guess until I actually finish my other story: "A New Love" and until I edit it more thoroughly. I don't like working on new things without finishing others.**

I have started editing it very thoroughly but until then:

thank you to: the dark euphie, Lakadimuh, ElectraAmethystBlack, and Shrubsin for **favoriting **this story.

**thank you to: the dark euphie, Animefiend176, samanthalynn2388, texasbellllla, ElectraAmethystBlack, and LuxAngelFallen023 for **following **this story.**

_One more thing: does anyone happen to know any information about the ancient egyptian "festival of Opet". I need more information to complete my other story (which is going to be a future fanfiction), and there isn't much that I can find online._


	2. Chapter 2

My mouth fell open. NOT HIM! I wanted to scream. Was Aro CRAZY?

Evidently Caius felt the same. "You _cannot_ be serious." He whispered, yet the words were just a deadly as if he had his teeth at Aro's throat.

"Do you not agree Marcus, my brother?" asked Aro, turning to Marcus and ignoring the raging figure of Caius.

Marcus had to drag his attention away from the thin air, and focused on Aro. I thought I saw a flash of amusement in his dead face. Then it vanished so quickly I was sure it was never there. "Hmmm? Yes of course Aro." I wondered whether he even knew what he was agreeing to.

"Then it is settled!" Aro cried clapping his hands together in satisfaction. "Caius will be Bella's escort and guard during her stay here! Run along now!"

Caius looked furious. Snarls were erupting from his chest, and he looked like Jacob, just when he was about to phase, only a thousand times worse. "I will _not_ spend the next few months attending to this _human_." He spat venomously. He said several other things so quickly I couldn't hear them, and I was rather glad I couldn't. I was just praying that Caius could convince Aro to CHANGE HIS MIND. Caius hated me… I was afraid of him…. Two very good reasons why not to have him with me.

Aro replied and I caught three words. "You owe me."

"Fine!" snarled Caius and sprang at me.

I was vaguely aware of moving, and the wind from the speed of his movement, and then I blinked. I was inside my rented room again. Only this time there was a vampire trembling with rage inches from me. I shook my head, dizzy. Caius was even faster than Edward if possible.

I fell backwards, reeling, sitting on the edge of the bed while Caius stalked around the room breathing heavily. He was tall, around a head taller than me, and in his rage he seemed to be even taller. I just sat there meekly while he paced even though I was tired and jetlagged, it'd be rude to pass out. He'd probably rip my head off for the unintended insult. But his endless pacing made me feel even dizzier, and his yells seemed to come from further and further away until finally, the blackness claimed me.

~~~(O.o)~~~

**_Caius_**

The human passed out. Humans were such a weak inferior species. Did Aro really believe that _I_ was going to be her guard for the next goodness-knows-how-long next few months? Especially this female, she was more trouble than she was worth, and if Aro was not so fascinated by her gift and afraid of offending Carlisle, I would have snapped her neck the moment we entered the room. As it was…. WHY ME? Did he delight in making my life a misery? I knew he did. Why? I never asked any favors of Aro, merely to be _left alone_. Surely that wasn't too much?

And now- I was stuck guarding a _human girl_ just because Aro had said three words. _You owe me_. I did owe him, but still it made me no less content with the situation.

Now the girl was sprawled across the bed in an ungainly fashion.

Argh!

I threw myself into one of the three chairs scattered across the room. Aro even expected me to remain here with her while she _slept_? I scowled furiously, losing myself in my sadistic thoughts. My head jerked up, realizing Aro and Marcus had entered the room. I glowered at them both.

"Still sulking dear brother?" Aro asked me, before blurring to the human's side. "What did you do to her?" he exclaimed, examining her.

I rolled my eyes at him. "She fainted. I do not know why."

Marcus glanced at me with something that looked marginally close to interest. I glared back at him. Let him read my hate for the human. It made no difference.

"Why do you not just kill her?" I asked Aro, who was now straightening out the human's body on the bed. A pointless gesture and also somewhat lacking the compassion that usually was accompanied by such a motion. But then my heart had been dead for several centuries. I wouldn't know.

Aro finished his ministrations on her and turned to me. "You know why brother. As it is, she is quite attractive is she not?"

My eyes widened. Honestly? "You are married brother. You love Sculpia." Love. I did not know what love meant.

Aro raised his eyes at me. "You say that _I_ am married brother? Truly you do not know yourself." What was that meant to mean? "Now I expect you to be with her at all times. If she wishes to go somewhere you must accompany her. Do not leave her side at any time." Aro ordered me.

I growled at him. "Brother, all this effort for one insignificant human?"

Aro fixed me with a penetrating stare. "She will be useful to us in the future. I expect for you to not harm her in any way. Have fun!" The last few words were spoken accompanied by his usual psychotic grin.

Marcus followed him silently.

I drew back an arm to punch the wall, and then decided against it. The noise might wake the human and then she would be chattering nonstop and most likely crying over her beloved Cullen boy. It repulsed me to think of one of our kind consorting with a human.

I plucked a book from the bookcase beside me, having nothing better to do. After a while- around seven hours later, I judged by the clock on the wall, the human began muttering meaningless words, strung together improperly. "Greek gods…. Hot… Charlie…. just a stupid…. moron…. Jane… no…. Caius…"

I raised my eyes from the book, which in truth I had not really been reading, and frowned at her. Was she dreaming about me? It was a discomforting notion.

"DAMN VAMPIRES!" she screamed, her eyes flying open, and she bolted upright. Her eyes immediately fixed on me. "It's rude to watch people while they sleep." She stated in clipped tones. Yes. She definitely annoyed me.

I did not grace her with an answer. She had sooner learn that I was superior to her, and that I did not have time to speak to mere humans. Although what intrigued me is that she no longer seemed as afraid of me as she had been before. That was something I had to work on. I stared at her coldly.

After a minute or so she tore her gaze away, and grabbed her bag, stomping over to the bathroom door. Was it really necessary to make so much noise while walking? "What are you doing?" I called out; making sure that my tone was just as hostile.

She turned and shot me a withering look. "I'm going to the _bathroom_. Then I'm going to have a _shower_. I feel disgusting." She slammed the door. I heard the lock click into place.

Apparently she had more nerve than I gave her credit for. Although it meant that she annoyed me even more. I could hear the shower being turned on, and the creak of the glass door. The smell of artificial scents came wafting over to me, orange and lemon. Ugh. Mass manufactured products.

A few more minutes passed and the water was turned off. I could hear the door opening and the sound of rummaging in her bag. The door to the bath room cracked open and her head, water still shining in her hair, peered out. "Could you leave for a minute?" She asked. Perhaps she meant it to sound polite, but it merely sounded demanding. I did not reply.

"Could you leave for a minute, _please_?" she asked again. I wanted to laugh. Odd. I hadn't even given a genuine smile for over two centuries and now I wanted to laugh?

"Fine, could you just turn around?" I made no move to do so.

"Ok, then, just have it your way." The door closed, and then a second later, opened again, the girl stepping out wrapped only in a towel. She edged over to the closet and opened one of the doors. I assumed Heidi had stocked the closet before. Much as she hated the human, she loved clothes more. The human did not look pleased. "You cannot be serious!" I heard her mutter as she yanked the other door open. The whole closet was filled with dresses of all shapes and sizes and dimensions. "Freaking stupid feminist vampires." The girl swore. Odd. I though women loved dresses.

"Fine." She grabbed one of the plainest black dresses and then rummaged around at the side of the closet. I heard her breathing stop. Withdrawing from the closet, she was holding a see through lacy thong. Her eyes slid in my direction.

I quickly adverted my gaze back to the book. Why should I care what she thought?

Keeping my gaze lowered I heard her sigh several more times before returning to the bathroom. There was silence for several seconds then the sound of fabric tearing and shredding. My eyes narrowed. What was she doing?

Silence again. Then the door opened and I laughed. I could not help it.

Isabella was wearing her previous leggings but her shirt was made of the ragged top half of the dress she had selected. She shot me an appraising glance then settled down on the bed looking at the clock. It was eleven pm. That did not overly concern me, but the human looked worried. She glanced at me again.

"Um, could you leave?"

"No. But why?" I surprised myself by answering.

"I don't like people watching me while I sleep, except Edward."

I was disgusted by her mentioning of the Cullen. "No." I maintained.

"You are a stubborn vampire."

I simply smirked, glad I angered the girl by simply existing. Her brown eyes narrowed in aggravation and went to the closet and dragged out all the dresses and… undergarments, and threw them in a pile on a chair, and then she pulled a blanket and a pillow from the bed and stuffed them into the closet. Then she climbed in. "Goodnight." She said frostily, obviously still angered from before.

When she had pulled the doors closed I smiled for the first time in a long while. Goodnight indeed.

* * *

**Thank you to:**

**dinopoodle for_ following me_.**

**readermind, PrincesitaVulturi, Cas Hinnie, teyla0016, That Twilight Lover 3, for following "stuck together"**

**PrincesitaVulturi, Cas Hinnie, teyla0016, That Twilight Lover 3, for favoriting "Stuck together"**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Bella

Caius was so infuriating! If I was a vampire I'd have liked to tear out his guts. But then again, I'm not, and he could probably kill me with a twitch of his finger. He'd probably have fun doing so anyway.

_But he can't_. I reminded myself. Aro told him not to. I didn't know what kind of relationship there was between those two but it seemed like Caius had to follow Aro's lead.

He glared at me coldly. I held his gaze for as long as I could stand it, then stood up and grabbed my bag. I walked over to the bathroom, and then I heard him speak to me directly for the first time. "What are you doing?"

Was he really that stupid? I shot him a _look_. "I'm going to the _bathroom_, and then I'm going to take a _shower_. I feel disgusting." I slammed the door and the lock clicked into place.

I stripped, hoping that Caius wouldn't barge in- a locked door was useless against vampires, and turned on the shower, hopping in. The water was hot, and for that I was grateful. Above ground it was swelteringly hot, but down here in the tunnels it was freaking freezing.

_Edward_.

There were no shampoos or soaps in the shower, and I was glad I had prepared. I had packed some shampoo and soap with me, it would run out in a couple of days… Hmmm, I wondered whether I would be allowed to go out shopping. Alice would get a kick out of that.

Feeling somewhat refreshed, I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, wrapping myself in a fluffy towel that hung on a rack beside me.

My clothes that lay on a pile on the ground stank, and I did not want to be putting them back on. I went to my bag, but there were no clothes inside. I cursed inwardly. I should have prepared before.

Unlocking the bathroom door, I peeked my head out.

"Could you leave for a minute?" I asked him, trying to sound polite.

He didn't move.

Perhaps more persuasion was needed. "Could you leave for a minute, _please_?" I asked again. His face remained emotionless. "Fine, could you just turn around?"

He didn't move.

"Ok, then, just have it your way." I closed the door and made sure the towel was firmly wrapped around myself, then stepped out gingerly. Caius was eyeing me like I was a snack.

I made it to the closet and froze in horror. "You cannot be serious," I breathed. I yanked both doors open.

The huge wardrobe was filled entirely with silk and satin items and they were all _dresses_. I was about to die. " Freaking stupid feminist vampires!" I growled. Whoever filled this thing had better run for their lives. "Fine." Eventually after I had finished making sure there were absolutely _no_ normal clothes in the closet, I selected a black plain one, then rummaged around for undergarments. I found them.

My breathing stopped. The mysterious wardrobe stocker could have been Alice. I straightened up holding a thin, lacy see through thong. I suddenly became very aware of the _male_ vampire in the room. Heat flooded my cheeks as I saw he was indeed looking at me. He lowered his eyes quickly. Thank goodness he had _some_ decency.

I sighed, and shoved the thong back in, grabbing more suitable undergarments and returned to the bathroom. I was no way in hell going to be wearing that dress, but I had a better alternative. I grabbed the penknife that Charlie had gotten me two years ago in the hopes I would go fishing with him someday- and cut off the bottom part of the dress. Vampires were damn stinking rich- they could live with one ruined dress.

I slipped the towel off and pulled on the undergarments and makeshift top. There was nothing for it, except to put on my old jeans.

I shoved the rest of the items back into my bag and stalked back out.

Caius was watching me again and he laughed when he saw my shirt. It was a pure sound and quite beautiful, it rang in the air and for some reason it made me feel like smiling. His face, without a glare of hatred on it, was stunning.

What was I doing?

I quickly sat down on the bed, avoiding his eyes. I glanced at the clock. ELEVEN PM! I had been passed out for almost seven hours? An even worse suspicion filled me. If Caius had been here all this time, goodness knows how much he could have heard me rambling on about. Edward had constantly told me how much I talk in my sleep after all. But I was tired, and no way was I going to go to sleep right next to a vampire lord.

"Um, could you leave?" I piped up, hoping he would say yes.

His response was politer than I would have expected. "No. But why?"

"I don't like people watching me while I sleep, except Edward."

"No."

I felt annoyed. Why couldn't he just leave? Was he really that loyal to orders? "You are a stubborn vampire."

He simply smirked, looking back at his book, as my eyes narrowed in aggravation. I still wasn't sleeping where he could see me. I went to the closet and dragged out all the dresses- there were so _many_ of them, and the bras and panties, and dumped them on a chair. The closet was huge and went quite deep, so that would be fine.

I crossed over to the bed, partly wondering whether Caius would stop me, and grabbed a pillow and the blanket.

I stuffed the pillow and blanket into the closet before climbing in after them. It was a perfect fit. "Goodnight." I said as coldly as I could manage. Then I pulled the closet doors shut.

Darkness enveloped me.

~~~(O.o)~~~

I woke up.

I didn't know how long I had been asleep, but the stiffness in my limbs told me it was for more than a few hours. I was dimly aware of voices outside my closet. Who was there?

Shaking the sleep from my eyes, I cracked open the door.

The onslaught of light blinded me momentarily- there _was_ a window in the room- I just hadn't seen it before- and light was streaming in, hot and warm. It just occurred to me then where I was. Volterra. No Edward.

I was going to collapse back into bed, when a friendly voice called out, "Ah, dear Bella. Did you sleep well?"

Aro was beaming at me, standing in the room along with Caius, Marcus and Felix and Demetri.

"Um, It could have been better," I replied, glancing at Caius. His expression was blank.

Aro seemed to think it was an acceptable response and darted over to my side, yanking me out of the closet. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror above the desk, and was horrified at the state of my hair. It was a bird's nest.

"_Dear_ Caius was just informing me of your stay last night. Did you find him a good host?" Aro continued. I didn't know why he was standing here talking to _me_. Touch Caius's hand and you'd know everything. "Uh, yes?" I answered, casting a sideways look at Caius again. Aro didn't miss that, but seemed to ignore it.

I caught Demetri and Felix smirking at my hair and ripped dress/shirt. I glared at them. Aro noticed that too.

"So… I thought I'd lay down a few ground rules, seeing at you will probably become part of our family here at Volterra." Aro went on. Caius snarled.

"Manners brother," Aro reminded him, retuning to me.

Inwardly I was reeling. Part of _their_ family? I was part of _Edward_'s family dammit, sides most- if not all of the vampires here were probably itching to sink their fangs into my throat, judging by Felix's hungry expression.

"Caius will be with you at all times as your guard, by my order, and you may go wherever you wish to in his company, as long it does not extend past the city's walls, am I to be understood?" Caius was glowering at me. I nodded quickly. "Have fun! Oh, and dear Bella, don't be afraid to come and tell me when Caius isn't fulfilling his obligation to you!" Aro swept out of the room cheerfully, only pausing by Caius's side to mutter a string of Italian words. "Non farle del male, ho bisogno di lei potrebbe in futuro. Fratello venire." (Do not hurt her, she may be needed in the future. Brother come.)

Marcus followed him out along with Demetri and Felix, who whispered in my ear as he passed "you look sexy baby." Before ghosting off.

I was left alone with an angry vampire, Aro's words still ringing in my ears. I had been hoping that last night had been a nightmare and Caius wasn't really going to be my 'escort'. Now there was no backing out of it.

When I couldn't stand the silence any longer, I piped up, "So… What do you want to do?"

He turned to me with a look of disbelief. "Well we can't stay in here forever? What do you usually do around now?" I glanced at the clock…. "At one o'clock in the afternoon…" I had slept the whole day through.

"_Usually, _I am in the neighboring town hunting." He finally replied. Okay- not what I wanted to hear. But it was the beginning of a conversation and I'd take that.

"Why? Doesn't Heidi lure in tasty snacks for all you vampires? So you don't need to you know, get off your backsides and go out." Why was I taunting him? He could kill me! Unfortunately I couldn't stop.

Caius unexpectedly did not get mad. "No. She only brings in humans for the guard, Aro, Marcus and Sculpia, Aro's wife. I prefer to hunt for myself."

"Okay." I paused, wondering whether or not I should ask why.

He answered my unasked question. "I dislike the image of having everything done for me."

Silence.

He turned away to face the wall and then…. Just stopped moving. I'd seen Jasper do it a lot- forget to move. It was kind of cool. It made them look like statues. Unfortunately I couldn't do the same. I decided to sit.

I sat.

Silence.

I was starting to get bored. I began humming.

Humming.

Humming.

Humming.

Humming.

Humming.

"Would you _please_, for the sake of anything you value- _be silent_?" Hissed Caius.

"Fine!" I said, holding up both my hands in surrender.

Silence.

Was it just me or was the clock ticking slower than usual?

Silence.

What should I do? Should I ask Caius to show me around? Unlikely.

Silence.

There was a bookcase full of books right next to Caius. Should I risk it and go get one? I could see Wuthering Heights right there.

Silence.

Yeah. I'm going to risk it. I got up and walked _slowly_ over to where Caius stood. I reached right past him, and almost hand my fingers on it when….

"What are you doing human?" This 'human' business was pissing me off.

"I'm getting a book." I said, gesturing to Wuthering Heights.

"They why are you skulking around like a ladro?"

"What?"

I heard him mutter something that sounded vaguely like, "Cursed Americans," before saying, "Thief."

"Ok. Well I didn't learn Italian in school, I learnt French and took Spanish for two years, I didn't know I was going to be staying here for half a year ok? So next time if you want me to come to Italy fully prepared with a PHD in Languages and a Masters and Bachelors in a double degree, then WARN ME!" I exploded.

Caius looked at me like I had just crawled out from under his shoe. "You will be staying here for half a year?" He said in horror.

I stuck my face in his exquisitely beautiful one. "_Yes_. So get used to hating me ok? Because I feel exactly the same way." I whirled around, clutching the book and flounced down in the chair. I opened the book, trying to read, but the page blurred before my eyes. I couldn't focus. Damn Caius. Damn Aro. Damn Jane. Damn Edward. Damn Victoria. Damn EVERY SINGLE FRICKING VAMPIRE IN THIS WORLD!

"That is an interesting speech." I looked up, too shocked to be rude, Caius could read my mind?

"No I can't." His expression was just as cold as ever, but it seemed slightly amused. "But I can when you talk aloud."

I had been saying all of that aloud?

"Yes well I get kind of bored sitting here, and right now my only method of entertainment is annoying you ok? Suck it up."

He turned back to the wall.

I wanted to scream in frustration! I mean I was glad that he wasn't hell bent on killing me, like I thought he would be, but this was even worse! He was boring! He hardly said anything argh!

"You should smile more often."

Caius turned. He had a bemused expression on his face and I grateful that he could actually look somewhat human. He shot me a questioning look.

"Before when you laughed. You are kind of hot for a two thousand year old vampire."

"Hot?" He asked me.

Glad we were actually _talking_ for a change, I replied. "Yeah, hot. You know, cute, sexy, really want to sleep with kind of guy. You really need to get up to speed. For someone who rules the modern day vampire world- you really need to catch up."

His expression was to laugh at. "Geez, you really are a drag." I knew he wouldn't know what I meant.

"You know!" I prompted him, this was funny. "Slang! Drag-boring, shut up- be quiet, idiot-stupid person, moron-same meaning, damn-cursed, pissed-angry, hot-really really sexy…" I shook my head at his ignorance. "What did they teach you in the past two thousand years?" He was getting pissed. I could tell. "Please don't tell me you still use quills!" I joked.

His expression stopped me. "Oh gosh you do don't you?" I groaned inwardly. "What happened to _pencils!_ _Pens!_"

Caius finally regained his ability to speak. "Not two thousand years- exactly two thousand and ninety eight."

Wow. But that was totally of subject. I was _really_ having fun now. It was probably dangerous to provoke a vampire- but this was strangely fun. The expression of wanting to yell at me- but not because of the fear of sounding stupid was truly a sweet sensation. But… It I was getting bored again and I had a feeling not to push my luck too far.

"Didn't Aro say that I was allowed outside?" Anything to escape this room.

"Yes."

"Then come on, let's go!"

"Go where?"

"Go out! Duh!"

He trailed behind me. The difference between the angry 'I will kill you if you anger me' Caius and the now 'Oh no. What do I do next' Caius was astronomical.

"So, where is your favorite spot in this place?"

"I am not some _slave_ catering to your will. I have no desire to lead you anywhere. My duty is to remain by your side, but that does not infer that I am to _entertain _you, do you understand girl?" he thundered, towering over me. O-kay. Not as changed as I thought.

I nodded silently. "What about an alternative deal?"

Caius looked at me impatiently. "What deal?"

I rolled my eyes. I seemed to be doing it a lot lately. "Do you vampires always answer a question with a question?"

He snarled. I hurried on. "Ok, so I go wherever, and you just follow me. I don't talk to you, you don't talk to me, everyone's happy. Ok?"

Caius seemed to consider it. "Very well." He replied.

"Ok."

I started walking again. Trying to ignore the skulking vampire behind me, I wandered down several halls until Caius sighed behind me breaking the silence. "If you continue that way you're going to die girl."

Privately I was glad that he had broken the silence. "Why?"

"Because that way is the way to the throne room, and right now my brothers and the guards are feeding. I doubt that in their state they would have any problem with draining you dry human."

"You know, I _do_ have a name."

"Very well, _Isabella_."

"Actually, it's Be-" I sighed, "Ok, you know  
what, even Isabella's better than 'human' or 'girl'."

I whirled around and stomped past Caius in the opposite direction.

I walked for several more corridors tripping over every single cobblestone in the ground, before I heard him sigh impatiently. "What?"

"Is this clumsiness a particular trait of yours or is it something that you do just to annoy me?"

I really hated Caius. "Well I'm sorry if I don't have your vampire grace. I am, as you keep reminding me- a _human_."

He huffed impatiently.

"Ok, so if I wasn't here, ruining your drab boring life, what would you be doing, right now, apart from hunting?"

"Filing reports from other covens."

"Cool! Let's do that!"

"Cool?"

"Yes cool! It's a current slang word that teenagers use. Can we go now? "

Caius smirked. "Yes we can." Then set off down the hallway.

* * *

**Updates on future twilight egyptian fanfiction story: I have changed all of the egyptian names I had before to Twilight names and deleted some characters so I could write it better.**

I still need any information about the ancient egyptian "festival of Opet" because I am wondering if there is more to it than what I have.

Also, I was looking at it, and thinking, 'I need to put more fillers in it'. I have trouble with details if it's not poetry. After all, there is so much to put in as far as major details.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Bella

Caius' pace was _way_ too fast for me to catch up with. He wasn't exactly running, but his stride was at least ten times faster than mine and he was just _walking_. I had to run to catch up. I could almost _feel_ his impatience at my pace and I wondered how long it would be until he snapped.

I tripped twice trying to keep up, and finally the third time I tripped and went sprawling. Caius unexpectedly grabbed me and swung me up bridal style and then sped down the hallways so fast my eyes blurred.

When he stopped I felt like I was going to throw up. Thankfully I didn't. If I had Caius would probably have begun lecturing me on the repulsiveness of my humanity. Vampires can't throw up… Can they?

"Are you going to be standing there all day gaping at me, or are you going inside?"

I was yanked back to earth. Caius was holding open a door and gesturing for me to enter. Blushing furiously I entered. Then I stopped.

His room was... Not what I was expecting. It wasn't that big, but all the walls were filled with overflowing bookcases and scrolls on shelves and it was….. Wow. There were also several filing cabinets at the end of the room, and seven or eight desks lined up in the center of the room. In fact it looked more like a library than room. There was no bed or bathroom or dresser or even wardrobe…. I knew the bathroom and bed were hardly needed, but it didn't seem like a room without them. And wardrobe? Did Caius wear the same black robes and cloak every day?

Ah well, at least it wasn't the black dungeon hole with coffins and severed heads in the corners.

The door slammed shut behind me. "What? Is my room not suited to your tastes?" snapped Caius.

"No, no, it's just… it's amazing… How old are these books?"

Caius stopped, looking as if that wasn't the answer he had been expecting. Finally he replied, "Several hundred years old or more- so don't touch anything."

Then he swept off to one of the desks, yanked out a piece of paper, ink and quill (the irony). And began to write, his hand flying across the paper so quickly it blurred. It was he had forgotten I was in the room. I didn't even exist anymore.

With nothing else to do I plonked down in a corner. Impressed as I was, I couldn't believe that this was where he actually _lived_. This was a study for goodness sakes- did Caius even have a _life_? For some odd reason I wondered if he was married. It seemed so lonely in this room with no-one else there… Nothing except the blank life dedicated to duty. Did Caius even do anything for _fun_? Against my better judgment I began to feel sorry for him. No wonder he was the shriveled up skeleton of a vampire- all bitter inside, always so cruel and vindictive.

Although if I stayed here I had I feeling I would end up the same. Yes my room was boring, and Caius was hardly entertaining, but honesty sitting here in a corner doing nothing was even worse. Had I honestly thought that _filing reports for other covens_ would be interesting? There was definitely something wrong with me.

I was all for getting up and saying- 'Ok…. Next stop… Something fun!' However it seemed wrong to have asked to come here and witness him in his own natural environment, then go- 'This is boring. Let's leave.' In any case, _was_ there anything fun in this place? I didn't know and I knew Caius wouldn't tell me if there was. If he even knew what the word 'fun' meant.

So…. What were my options? No touching anything…. No talking- because that seemed to annoy him- fun as it was, I didn't want to push my luck too far. I had to make some part of my situation bearable after all. Six months of this endless boringness would leave me just as loony as Aro.

I got up and walked over to Caius, seeing his shoulders visibly tense. "Do you need some help?"

He looked up in shock.

"It looks like a long… report." It was true, he was on what looked like the eighteenth sheet of paper, front and back, and his writing was tiny. Each letter was beautifully sculpted and flowed across the page gracefully. It looked like it had been printed from a computer.

"You…. No. I am perfectly capable." Caius dropped his gaze back to the piece of paper, quill zooming over the page. He was on his twentieth piece of paper.

I stood there feeling stupid. "Could I then, um, read a book? I promise I'll be careful and put everything back."

Caius didn't even look up. "Non mi aspetto che tu capisca una parola in metà di questi volumi, però. È già abbastanza brutto la maggior parte delle copie originali sono stati tradotti in lingua inglese."

"Ummmm , I might as well make it clear that I don't speak Italian…." What was with his constant outpouring in Italian? Was it even Italian? It could be Spanish for all I knew.

Caius, still writing infuriatingly another line in Italian then spoke in English, "Do whatever. Merely replace each book in its previous position when you are done." Then he went of muttering another line in Italian- or was it Latin this time?

I muttered a quick "Thank you," before quickly walking over to one of the towering bookcases before he could change his mind.

There were tons of books, a much larger variety of subjects and genres than there were in my room, but most of them looked like they were written in Italian. As I had pointed out to Caius, I didn't speak Italian. My eyes scanned the shelves for something in English. I saw several versions of Shakespeare in what looked to be Greek, Italian, French and Latin. Not English though.

Reaching the bottom of the shelf, I pulled out a small book that was coated in dust. So much for his love of books. None of these had been touched for what looked like decades. Now that I looked around I realized that everything was coated in a coat of inch thick dust. I didn't think these books had been touched in a long, long, long time.

Dusting off the cover to the little book, I realized it was a notebook, not a proper printed version, more like a diary. Caius had a diary? I flipped it open, knowing it was rude, but unable to rein in my curiosity. The thing I noticed first was that the writing was not his. His had been long and stretched, flowing with each letter linked to the next. This script was just as old, but the style was undoubtedly female. The letters had more space in-between them, and were a lot spikier, unlike Caius's. Intrigued, I flipped over a page.

_Ciao, io possa avere qualcosa da mangiare? Vorrei partire, Grazie,_

_I have been here-_

English! The owner of this notebook had spoken English! I continued reading greedily.

_I have been here for a month and yet the only phrases I understand are above. I grow restless of this constant ignorance. In England I was ranked as a lady. Here I have a position of much more power, yet it is futile without knowing the language of my subjects or associates. Perhaps it is time for me to learn to speak this foreign language_.

There had been a woman here like me? I flipped restlessly through the rest of the book, trying in my hurry to be gentle with the paper thin pages, but merely found notes in both English and Italian. It seemed the mystery writer had been teaching herself Italian. Disappointed that I couldn't read more about the woman, I was about to place the book back on the shelf, until I realized that the notes in itself was a gift. I could- using her notes, teach myself Italian!

I grabbed a copy of what looked like Romeo and Juliet in Italian and settled myself down in the corner.

It was a lot easier than I expected. I had read the book Romeo and Juliet so many times it was easy to match the Italian to the English.

Apart from the detailed notes, there were often some entries in the margin or along the edge of the book that looked like Caius's handwriting. They were all in Italian.

_Quindi questo è ciò che Athena scarabocchia in giorno dopo giorno ... _

I managed to translate the beginning- Quindi questo è ciò che Athena scarabocchia- So this is what Athena scribbles-

I assumed Athena was the woman.

I wondered who exactly she was, why she had come to Italy to live with vampires. Maybe she had wanted to, maybe she was a prisoner or maybe she was like me, human, and hiding with monsters away from demons.

I shook my head, clearing it, then bent my head back down to my task of translating the first page. I muttered several sentences aloud trying to get the ring of it. I had to admit, my accent was terrible. I couldn't even pronounce the first two lines. _Due famiglie, sia allo stesso modo in dignità, Nella bella Verona, dove abbiamo la nostra scena_,

Ended sounded like- _Doe famile, sa lo stresso modoo in dignata, Nellar bella Verona, dove _(long 'e')_abimmo la nostra secenea._ I guess when I got a job I would definitely _not_ put- 'speaks Italian' in my CV.

I mumbled my way through several lines of Shakespeare, wondering now and again whether Caius used to read these. It was obvious the books hadn't been touched in a while, but I could tell by the spine of the book that someone had read this book many times over.

"…our toil will strive to end," I was trying to pronounce the word strive (_sforzarsi_) and saying it- _see-for-zar-sie _when I realized Caius had stopped writing. The report looked like it was at least fifty pages long, stacked beside him and he was sitting stone still, staring out the window.

Hmm, Caius didn't seem the 'staring out of the window' type. More like the 'stalking around ordering for execution' type.

Just then there was a knock on the door and it flew open, Felix crashing inside. He gave a hasty bow, which I though looked ridiculous in his black robes and cloak, before hurriedly explaining himself, "Masters Aro and Marcus are requesting your presence in the throne room Master." The words blurred together by the speed of his speech and I wondered what was so urgent.

Caius gave Felix a cold nod, clearly dismissing him, then glanced at me. "Follow me." Then swept out of the room. I quickly put down both novel and notebook and followed, wondering if there would be a repeat of before, where he would set off at vampire speed, me running and tripping over….

The breath was knocked out of me as Caius slung me over his shoulder and flew at vampire speed down to the throne room.

He unceremoniously dumped me on the floor as we reached the side passageway that would lead us to the hall.

I slumped to the ground, head between my knees, trying to take deep even breaths. Breathe in…. Breathe out…. Breathe in…. Breathe out… Breathe in….

Caius was standing over me. "Are you quite done Isabella?"

I raised my head feeling sure that my face was green. "Maybe if you warned me before you spirited me away! I am _not_ a sack of potatoes if you haven't noticed! I get nausea, motion sickness! And if you do it for much more then I _will_ throw up on you!"

Caius ignored that, grabbing my arm and yanking me to my feet. "When we enter the hall, you will be silent and not speak until spoken to do you understand?" He hissed at me, his grip on my arm becoming painfully tight.

I tried saluting with my free arm. "Sir yes Sir!" I yelled, puffing out my chest.

Caius gave me a look of absolute disgust and released me, walking through the door and into the hall. I trailed behind him, rubbing my arm. I was going to have bruises.

The moment we entered the hall, I saw Caius tense and a look of intense hatred- beyond anything I had ever seen before came across his face. It even paled the look of detest he had been giving me most of the day. His teeth clenched together and I heard him spit out one word.

"Werewolf."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Caius

"Werewolf."

I hated those filthy creatures with every fiber of my being. They were the ones… _They_ were the ones that had killed her…. Tore her to pieces before my very eyes. Forced me to watch her burn.

I had killed them all. Made them suffer like they made her.

But she was still dead.

I was trembling with rage for the third time in the past two days, but this time it was different. A haze of smoke and fire blurred my vision, but I could still see the disgusting beast, kneeling in chains before the three thrones.

Aro was already standing in front of the wolf, reading each thought passing through his mind. I was still shaking. Why did he need proof? It was a werewolf. It had to die.

I reached my throne- to the right of Aro's throne, and sat, trying to restrain myself from leaping forwards and tearing the head of the beast.

I felt heat rising up in me, burning. I tried to force it down. I remembered what had happened last time.

I was vaguely aware of the girl hovering near to the side of me unsure of what to do. I barely glanced at her. My eyes were fixed on the werewolf. It was in human form, it's lank and greasy hair rough and unkempt.

They were vile abominations that should never have been created. They were men with inner wolves that burst forth in a horrible transformation at the full moon, stalking the land and preying without conscience on entire towns and villages. They matched us in strength and speed, even in human form, and as beasts they possessed a cunning and wit that made them all the more dangerous. Unlike us, they not only drank the blood from humans, but they ate the flesh too.

They had killed _her_.

Aro straightened next to the beast's side and drifted back a few paces. "It seems this _beast_ here, is responsible for the ravaging of several towns in England. Complications that now need to be dealt with."

The brute was hurling himself against the chains. He would not be able to break free. Aro and I had been searching for centuries for an element that could withstand our strength and had finally found it seven decades ago. It was now being put to good use.

"Now…" Aro was speaking slightly louder now, "All that remains is to deliver the punishment."

I was leaning forward in my throne now, taunt with anticipation. The beast was _mine_ dispose of. If Aro so much as mentioned Jane's name….

"Caius, if you would do the honours?"

A smile spread across my face.

_Bella_

"Werewolf."

My first thoughts were of Jacob and the pack. Why were they here? They should be in La Push, they had a temporary truce with the Cullens to take down Victoria and her army together. The Volturi wouldn't be very sympathetic to the pack.

Then we entered the hall and I realized the man in chains in the middle of the hall was most definitely _not_ a member of the pack. This was an entirely different beast. For once the term _werewolf_ actually fitted the image.

The man was half naked, wearing ratty torn trousers and not particularly muscular, with a sallow complexion and long stringy brown hair that hung lank around his face. _His face_. The eyes were sunken deep into his skull and the eyes were entirely black. There was no white in his eyes, no colour, just black holes where the eyes were meant to go. He looked utterly rabid.

I tore my eyes away from the werewolf and followed Caius up to the three thrones. Caius was still shaking. What was his utter hatred for werewolves?

Caius sat down in the throne to the right of Aro's, his eyes never leaving the werewolf.

Was it just me, or was he actually smoking? His robes seemed to be smoldering slightly.

I hovered uncertainly. It would probably be heresy to sit on Aro's throne, but I didn't want to stand there like a dork either. Eventually I just sank down and sat cross-legged next to Caius on the cool marble floor.

I was vaguely aware of Aro speaking. "…that now need to be dealt with."

The man was hurling himself against the chains, straining to get free. I wondered how the chains were holding. His frame looked like it held the same silent strength that all vampires possessed. I wanted to feel sorry for the werewolf, but for some reason- gazing into those horrible black pools, I couldn't. It was utterly savage.

"Caius… If you would do the honours?"

I blinked missing most of Aro's speech. My eyes flashed sideways just in time to see a streak of black and white fling itself at the wolf. I looked on in horror yet amazement as Caius grabbed the man's head and was about to snap his neck when somehow the chains tore free of the ground, sending hunks of marble flying across the hall.

For someone weighed down by chains the werewolf held his own, lunging at Caius. Caius wasn't there anymore. As far as I could tell the werewolf was just and fast as strong as any other vampire, but Caius was a blur whirling around the monster attacking like a hurricane, but judging by the sharp cracks and snaps, the werewolf was losing. Why wasn't Aro asking anyone else to help? All he had to do was tell Jane to use her power, then the fight would be fairly simple for Caius.

But then the fight ground to a halt as suddenly Caius reappeared, his arms wrapped around the wolf's neck. There were gashes across the werewolf's chest, black tar-like blood flowing from the wounds. I knew what was about to happen, and for as second, I saw something in the wolf's eyes. A flicker or humanity.

I knew what was about to happen. But I couldn't look away.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, someone telling me to close my eyes…. I couldn't.

Caius's face was contorted with hate, but then I saw his lips move, mouthing something. And he twisted.

The head of the werewolf fell to the ground, bounced twice, and rolled to my feet.

~~~(O.o)~~~

I tried not to scream.

I was somehow aware that my feet were moving, following someone, going somewhere, doing something…..

I had seen people die before. I had seen James torn to pieces before my eyes, I had seen some of my relatives die before, I had even had Jasper and Laurent try to kill me before, so why was I so stunned?

I didn't know. It wasn't some sort of deep meaning answer, it was just the fact that I didn't know why it had affected me so much. Technically it had nothing to do with me. It was a monster. I didn't care.

Then I realized. That was why it bothered me. Because I hadn't cared. I didn't care that a living breathing person, werewolf or not, had just been decapitated before my very eyes. I couldn't have cared less. And it scared me.

What kind of a heartless monster was I? I didn't even care that a person had just been killed right in front of me, by someone who was meant to protect me.

The 'protect me' part wasn't really the issue, I knew that Caius was a cruel, vindictive, masochistic, selfish sadist, but the idea that I didn't care left me reeling.

"Are you all right?"

The voice was low and slightly hoarse as though it hadn't been used in a while.

My eyes came into focus and found Aro and Marcus standing over me.

My voice cracked when it answered. "I'm fine."

I found myself in a low wooden bench in the middle of a garden. How had I gotten here? A low breeze sent the scent of roses and freesias up my nose as I breathed in deeply, trying to clear my head.

Marcus was eyeing me with what looked a tiny bit like concern on his dead features. It had been him before who had told me to close my eyes.

Aro was hovering next to him, his ruby eyes bright and his lips perpetually curved slightly upwards no matter what the situation. "So good to see you've recovered!" Beamed Aro, his smile becoming grotesque. "I was worried you were going to faint!"

If the werewolf head wasn't enough, the sight of Aro made me _want_ to faint.

"No," I cleared my throat, then began again. "No, really I'm fine, I saw a vampire ripped to shreds and burned before my eyes… I'm good with this stuff." I tried to joke a bit at the end.

By Marcus's expression he wasn't fooled, but Aro bought it. "Oh yes, James! Edward _was_ very annoyed with him wasn't he?"

I blinked at him, wondering how he knew, before I remembered his gift. I gave him a weak smile. I would have given anything for him to be here now…_ Edward._

I glanced around. "Where's Caius?" I asked. Not that I particularly wanted his company, but I was wondering how Aro had caved to let him go.

"Tiding up." Aro's smile had turned into more of a sneer. I knew exactly what Caius was tidying up.

We stayed that way, me sitting, and concentrating on breathing, and Aro and Marcus standing like statues. The only things that moved were their robes fluttering in the breeze.

Eventually, Aro stirred, his smile reappearing, "I'll leave you two alone now, I must get back to business! Marcus I think you are capable of protecting young Bella!" And he bounced away. Sometimes I wondered whether Aro resembled a two thousand year old vampire, or a two year old child. I'd think the latter.

As soon as Aro had vanished from sight, Marcus seemed to stir slightly. "Walk with me?"

I stood and followed him down the paths.

We walked in silence for a while, me struggling for something to talk about, and him looking casually blank. "What's your last name?" I blurted out.

Marcus faced me, a look of confusion flickering in his face. "That is an interesting conversation starter."

I relaxed slightly. Of the three brothers, I think I trusted Marcus the most. He just seemed…. Harmless. Humane.

"Yes I know, but you haven't answered."

Marcus blinked twice, slowly, before resuming his previous pace. "My last name was D'angelo."

"The angel…" I breathed.

Marcus once again shot me a questioning look. I hurried to explain. "I found a notebook. I'm teaching myself Italian."

He nodded. "So…. Marcus, Aro and Caius D'Angelo?"

"No. That was merely my last name. Aro and Caius are of different blood." I would never get used to their formality and their ancient speech.

"So technically you're all not really related."

"Not quite. Aro and Caius are in fact blood brothers, I merely married their sister."

I didn't remember any mention of Marcus's wife, I could only recall that Aro was the only one that had a wife.

Seeing my confusion, Marcus answered, "She died a thousand years back in the war with the Romanians."

"Oh."

I didn't say sorry. I knew it wouldn't help, and I knew he didn't want it. Now I understood how lifeless he was. He was a literal zombie. For some reason he reminded me of how I was, when Edward had left. No motivation, no urge to do anything. And when thinking about the past… Too painful.

"Tell me about werewolves." I said eventually.

Marcus gave me a slight smile, nothing more than a twitch of the lips, silently thanking me for the change of topic, before he began to speak. "Werewolves are in some ways quite like us vampires. They possess the same enhanced features and senses as we do when they are bitten by another one of their breed. From what we have learnt they are just as strong and as fast as us and also feed on blood, but for one very important difference. While we only drink the blood, they will feast on the flesh, and when the full moon rises and they transform into wolves, as soon as the blood touches their throats, they lose all semblance of humanity. While we vampires are somewhat the same, with our bloodlust during feeding, we still have some restraint. The children of the moon as we call them, do not.

They do in fact, become animals in every sense of the word. In human form, werewolves cannot speak, and usually prefer to skulk in the shadows, waiting for the full moon to change. There are also several physical differences, while our skin is impenetrable apart from our own teeth and the teeth of werewolves, theirs is not, although they do have an accelerated healing rate."

My mind flashed to Jacob.

"..their eyes are entirely black, as you have seen, and when the moon rises, their eyes become silvery orbs, testament to their madness. One werewolf alone could destroy over a hundred towns in a night to feed."

I swallowed back my bile. Thank God Jacob wasn't one of those werewolves. I wondered if he wasn't, what _was_ he exactly?

"Why does Caius hate them so much?"

Marcus suddenly looked old. His physical appearance couldn't have been more than twenty six, but his filmy red eyes looked tired, as though he was weary of thousands of years alone. "That is his right, and his right only to tell you that."

I knew it was a serious topic, but against it all I laughed. "Caius, tell me anything?"

He smiled slightly, something that looked so sad, even though it was meant to be a happy gesture.

I suddenly realized something. "How come the man- the werewolf in the hall couldn't get free of his chains? You said they're just as strong as you are, so why couldn't he break them? Not that I'm complaining."

He ran a hand through his hair. "A few centuries ago my brothers and myself were curious to test the limits of our strength, and so we travelled to try and find something that could withstand it. Centuries later in some remote town of Africa we found what we were looking for. It was an incredibly dense metal which resisted our every effort to manipulate it. We have not as yet named it, but it has been very useful over the past few centuries in enslaving our enemies."

Truth to be told, I was fascinated. We rambled on about other subjects and I was actually enjoying the walk. So when we stopped an archway that led back inside the palace, I was actually in a good mood even in spite of the fact that Caius was standing in the doorway.

Marcus inclined his head to his brother, "I hope to talk to you again Isabella." He said, turning away to walk down the corridor. He looked so lonely on an impulse I grabbed his arm.

"Be happy."

A wish and a request.

Marcus turned. He studied me for several seconds then they flickered to Caius.

**"**We all try to be."

* * *

_I recently thought of something. I may not be able to update very much (if at all) until summer for certain reasons which is why I figure I will update as much as possible now._

_Egyptian fanfiction story: I have added in another part and am thinking of adding in two more parts, then doing more details. Then eventually posting._

**Thank you to:**

**sillymillie122, icrodriguez, sillymillie122, Dustykins, harryginny9, Agito Takanoe, shauer, IdrilSilmarwenEamaneLuinwe, ****for following "Stuck together"**

**icrodriguez, AnnaBoleyna1536, for favoriting "Stuck together"**

**icrodriguez for favoriting me**

**Agito Takanoe, icrodriguez, for following me**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: Bella

Marcus ghosted away down the hallway, leaving me wondering at his last words. "We all try to be." What exactly did that mean? For some reason I thought his eyes flashed to Caius when he said those words. A sudden rush of sympathy and warmth rushed through me. I had a sudden urge to somehow make Marcus smile again. I think he could be my friend… Aro would always creep me out with his constant euphorbia and Caius just plain pissed me off, but Marcus was alright. He was easy to talk to.

Caius just stood there, leaning against the side of the doorway, looking like a skulking angel of death.

I wanted to ask about the werewolf, but I had a feeling he'd rip of my head if I asked. I decided on another topic that was bothering me. "Before in the hall, when you were sitting down…"

Caius stiffened. "Yes?"

"You looked like you were smoking."

His eyes fixed on me, the cloudy ruby irises boring into mine. "Yes, and?"

"Um… Do you have a gift?"

Caius smiled. It was creepy, just like the one that he had worn just before he attacked the werewolf. It didn't reach the eyes, yet it stretched across his perfect face, making him look sinister and evil, it was the smile of a demon before he pounced.

"So the human is not stupid after all."

I was too frightened to correct him.

"Come." Caius turned and began walking down the corridor. He seemed to be in a better mood than before, now just creepy and scary instead of irritated and pissy. Huh. I had a bipolar vampire guard.

Unlike before, Caius was now walking at a relatively slow pace, that I could keep up with if I ran every few steps.

"So in answer to your previous question, yes I do have a gift."

I remained silent, not wanting to push my luck. I was curious. He had been smoking before, and his clothes were smoldering…. "You can manipulate fire right?"

The creepy smile came back. "Yes, I can."

I hadn't really believed it truly until he confirmed it. I was actually kind of in awe. Most of the vampire gifts I'd come across were rather subtle, except for Alec and Jane, mind reading, empath, tracker…. Now the vampire that scared me the most had the scariest power.

"So, seriously? You just burst into flame?"

Caius cast me a sideways glance. "Not exactly. Why aren't you screaming and running?"

I couldn't believe he actually said that. It sounded a lot like something Edward would say, not the ALL MIGHTY VAMPIRE KING, but I replied anyway. "It wouldn't do me much good if I did would it? You could catch me in a second, sides you aren't going to hurt me."

"And what guarantee do you have of that?"

"I don't know, just the fact that your brother, who is in charge of you happened to tell you to be nice to me?"

Caius snarled, "My brother is _not_ 'in charge of me' as technically I am his elder, and he did not, in no uncertain terms tell me to be _nice_ to you."

Caius was Aro's _elder_? No way. Aro definitely looked older than Caius. "Um… Isn't Aro older than you?"

"Are we here discussing _age_?"

"Um yeah, I guess."

He sighed heavily before replying. "Physically Aro and Marcus are older than I, Marcus sitting at twenty seven and Aro at twenty four. However in terms of years of existence I out span them by two decades."

Wow. Okay, did not see that coming. "How is that possible? How old are you anyway, physically I mean."

"Physically I am twenty one, and it is possible because when I was changed, Aro was only four and Marcus, who I had not yet met, was seven. Two decades later, when I had managed to control my thirst, I changed Aro and our sister Didyme. We met Marcus when we were fleeing Rome and Didyme insisted we change him."

"Oh." It was creepy thinking of a four year old Aro. Also it means Caius was actually only three years older than me physically! Something was nagging at the back of my mind. "Why were you fleeing Rome?"

"One of my brothers was in the senate and he was murdered. We did not wish to draw unnecessary attention to ourselves; we left to ensure our own survival."

"I'm sorry."

The corner of Caius's mouth tugged upwards. "Do not be. He was a ruthless dictator. He did much for our country, but in the end became drunk with power."

That sounded a lot like Aro, drunk with power. The shock that Caius had actually smiled a real smile, and at me no less, left me stumbling for words. He seemed in a better mood than he had been in the whole time I had known him. I wondered if that had to do with the now dead werewolf. There was also something else, something that I'd forgotten, in history class, back at Forks High School…. Something about Rome's leaders….

"Caius." My voice sounded weird. "What is your full name?"

Caius stopped walking, turning to face me. He opened his mouth. "Caius Julius Caesar, older brother to Gaius Julius Caesar, Roman general, statesman, and Consul of Rome."

~~~(O.o)~~~

_Caius_

Truth to be told I was actually enjoying the conversation with the human, or _Isabella_, as she so impertinently demanded. Conversations with Marcus were often short and rather dull, while speaking to Aro was both irritating and taxing with his constant unceasing childlike delight and it was rare that I could restrain myself from attacking him for longer than a few minutes conversing with him.

However this Isabella, who chattered on and on incessantly about completely useless and unremarkable subjects, was quite amusing.

Amusing? That was odd, I had not been _amused_ for several centuries.

"So, seriously? You just burst into flame?"

What did she think I was? Besides, the last time I had done that….. "Not exactly. Why aren't you screaming and running?" Had I really just said that? For the past ages I had never said a word more than I needed to in order to get my point across and now I was asking the human a ridiculous and pointless question?

"It wouldn't do me much good if I did would it? You could catch me in a second, sides you aren't going to hurt me."

She was truly not afraid of me? I could snap her neck before she even realized it, and yet she was claiming that I would not hurt her? "And what guarantee do you have of that?"

"I don't know, just the fact that your brother, who is in charge of you happened to tell you to be nice to me?"

What? A flare of rage burnt through me. My brother was most certainly not my superior. I could do what I liked. This was merely a favor to him…. "My brother is not 'in charge of me' as technically I am his elder, and he did not, in no uncertain terms tell me to be nice to you."

Why was I arguing with her? She was beneath my notice... And why, above all, did she make me question myself?

"Um… Isn't Aro older than you?"

Ignorant human. "Are we discussing age?"

"Um yeah, I guess."

I sighed, I _never_ explained myself to someone, much less a mortal, "Physically, Aro and Marcus are older than I, Marcus sitting at twenty seven and Aro at twenty four. However in terms of years of existence I outspan them by two decades."

"How is that possible?" The human was gapping at me, she really was irritating. "How old are you anyway, physically I mean."

Were all humans this questioning? This was exactly why they were nothing more than substance to us. "Physically I am twenty one, and it is possible because when I was changed, Aro was only four and Marcus who I had not yet met, was seven, two decades later, when I had managed to control my thirst, I changed Aro and our sister Didyme. We met Marcus when we were fleeing Rome and Didyme insisted we change him."

"Oh. Why were you fleeing Rome?"

My mind flashed back to the night, screams and yells of the Roman army, storming our house, the urge to turn and destroy them all….

"One of my brothers was in the senate and was murdered. We did not wish to draw unnecessary attention to ourselves."

"I'm sorry." The human actually looked sorry. _She_ was sorry for _us_? Clearly she needed enlightenment. Besides, the death of my brother was hardly a loss.

My mouth curved into what I realized was the first genuine smile since…. Her death. I was stunned for several seconds. "Do not be. He was a ruthless dictator. He did much for our country, but in the end became drunk with power."

"Caius." Isabella's voice sounded strangled. I realized it was the first time that she had spoken my name. It annoyed me when I realized that she was addressing me as though I was her equal, rather than her superior. "What is your full name?"

It would be rather pleasing to put her in her place. Inwardly smirking at what was approaching, I spoke. "Caius Julius Caesar, older brother to Gaius Julius Caesar, Roman general, statesman, and Consul of Rome."

~~~(O.o)~~~

"OH MY GOD!"

The girl screeched as such a pitch I could have sworn I saw the windows tremble.

"For real? You were Julius Caesar's _older brother_? OH MY GOD! THIS IS SO WEIRD! What was he like? Did you get to see him a lot while he was off destroying other countries? How would you describe him?! Was he a dictator at home too? Was the he reason you're like this cold hearted bastard?! Did you get to go to the senate with him? THIS IS SO COOL!"

The flow of words sprouting from the human's mouth were like a dam of water, her lips moving too fast for even I to make out the words.

Trying to speak over the chaos, I yelled, "Will you _please_, _shut up_!"

The human shut up, and looked at me smirking. "And what, may I ask, has caused you to wear that expression?"

The smile grew wider. "You just said shut up."

"I beg your pardon?"

"It's not appropriate of a man of your station to beg. Especially seeing as you're my superior."

"….." I was about to reply when I realized she was mocking me. I was slightly stunned when I realized I wasn't angry. Irritated, annoyed, exasperated, but not angry.

I decided not to reply, I didn't trust myself that much, and if I ripped of the girl's head, Aro would be less than pleased with me.

I whirled around and resumed my pervious pace. I could almost feel the girl's smirk growing wider.

Eventually she _had_ to begin talking again.

"So where are we going, all mighty brother of Julius Caesar?" She was running again, trying to keep up with my pace, and tripping every few steps. Her clumsiness alone made me want to tear off Aro's head for making me this girl's escort. I had better things to do than care for a rude, impertinent human girl. She had seemed to get over my identity fairly quickly.

My fists clenched subconsciously. "Aro's chambers, apparently my presence is requested once more. "

"Okay, but it looks like it's around ten o'clock, and we humans need to _sleep_."

Isabella _did_ look tired, but that was none of my concern. "It is not my burden to have you properly rested, as it is you have already slept the whole day through previously. I hardly think it is necessary."

Of course then Isabella had to begin talking yet again. "How would you know? The last time you slept was over two thousand years ago! I've got jetlag! Once Renee went to Florida, and she slept for three days straight, I thought that she had gone into a coma, so…."

I stopped trying to listen and concentrated on keeping my pace slow enough for Isabella to keep up. I wondered as to why I was unwilling to simply sling her over my shoulder and reach Aro's chambers in merely a few seconds. By walking it would take at least six minutes. Since when did I care for others?

I decided not to answer myself.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: Bella**

GOD, Caius was irritating! I _had_ just had a decent conversation with Marcus, and was then in an alright mood, and then I wind up here, trailing after Caius Julius Caesar, the name proof that he was a cruel vindictive bastard. Julius Caesar probably got most of his dictator-like behavior from Caius's example.

I really _was _tired, and now we had to go see what the hyper maniac Aro wanted. Then, when Caius refused to let me sleep, I started blabbing on about our trip to Florida and Renee's three day nap. What the heck?

For some reason or another, Caius hadn't rudely picked me up and carted me off to Aro's room, probably under the threat that I throw up on him. Nice to know I was having an impression. However the six/seven minute walk to Aro's rooms made me even more tired, until I was practically sleepwalking. I wish I had my iPod. Bryan Adams always woke me up.

On the way I realized that my hair was still just as messy as it was nine to ten hours ago when Felix laughed at me. I had been walking around the whole day with ragged uncombed in a castle full of vampires. I reminded myself of Alice in Wonderland with the Mad Hatter (Aro), the Queen of Hearts (Caius- for the 'off with their heads' quote), a much scarier version of Tweedledum and Tweedledee (Jane and Alec) and various other assorted weirdoes.

Huh. I wasn't usually as irritable as this. I guess jetlag and exhaustion really brings out the worst in people. I wonder if it's a disease. If that's the case then Caius had permanent jetlag. Funny, coz vamps don't sleep. Hardy har harr.

What was I, a pirate?

We reached Aro's room, which was a solid gold door with carved initials, AV. _Aro Volturi_.

To tell the truth I was expected AJC. _Aro Julius Caesar_…. But it didn't sound quite right. I wondered why Caius's door didn't have a gold 'CV' on it.

The door opened and Aro's beaming face peered out.

I vaguely heard Aro greeting us and asking various questions about various topics that bored me in various ways. I answered them all with a yawn. I was too tired to be bothered about whether I was polite or not.

Eventually Aro gave up on me and turned to Caius. They began to talk, their conversation starting out at a human pace, then it got faster and faster, until they were talking vampire speed, too soft and fast for me to pick up on the topic. I heard a few scattered words like "Romanians…. Allies…issues … Heidi perhaps….."

I was beginning to drift off when suddenly a roar jerked me back into reality.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND ARO?"

I blinked several times to clear my eyes. Aro's face, for once clear of faux joy, looked tense and wary but had an unexpected character to it, and for a split second I could see how he was the leader of the Volturi.

Caius was storming around the room gesturing wildly. "You want to send our guard off to help Carlisle in America? The threat is _here_, Aro, the Romanians will pounce the moment the guard leave Volterra!"

Neither of them seemed to realize that I was listening.

"Exactly why _we do not let them know_." Aro's voice was thick with sarcasm. "If we elimate the Romanians, which will come at a cost, and the newborn threat attacks us at our weakest, we could be overthrown!"

Caius growled, and punched the wall. It was an impressive gesture as the impact of the fist made the wall cave inward and chunks of rock, dust and grit crumbled down.

"I would thank you not to destroy my room." Aro's voice was cold.

Only then did it occur to me that this was actually _Aro's_ room. I liked his room infinitely more than Caius's. It actually looked like it was lived in.

There was a red/gold four poster king sized bed in the corner- the use of which I didn't want to know, doors that I assumed led to the bathroom and wardrobe, oil painted portraits and landscapes on the walls and colorful draperies hanging from the ceiling. There was a warm glow surrounding the room from various oil lamps and a _huge_ crystal chandelier that hung from the celing reflecting rainbows against the walls. It was obvious that the room was decorated by a woman, probably Aro's wife. She would have gotten along well with Esme. The only things in the room that seemed to belong to Aro, were a mahogany bookcase and a desk overflowing with paper.

"You seem to be missing the point _brother_," Caius snarled venomously. "Our role is not for our individual survival. Our _purpose_ is to protect our race from exposure to the humans, and as of now, the Romanians are the bigger threat to that, regardless of possible losses. Carlisle is perfectly capable of handling the newborns. They have experience with them, the seer's mate- the god of War."

The seer… Alice? Jasper? Jasper was the_ god of War_? I knew he had fought in the newborn wars, but wow…. That was new. Another thing I learnt, apparently Caius wasn't the power hungry freak, he was actually just _really_ devoted to the law. Huh.

Aro ignored Caius. "Would your aversion to helping the Cullens be because of their alliance with the shapeshifters and their slight semblance to the werewolves?"

Shapeshifters….. Jacob!

Caius roared, and before my eyes could catch the movement, Aro was pinned up against the wall that Caius had just punched, his hand at his neck. Was it just me or was Caius's hair steaming? There was smoke ever so faintly drifting upwards from Caius's white/blond locks.

"Do. Not. Test. Me." He snarled, then released Aro.

Aro dropped lightly to the ground, massaging his throat. He glared at his brother. "And you would do well to remember that I was the one who av…."

His voice dropped so low I couldn't hear anything else, but the effect on Caius was striking. His shoulders slumped ever so slightly, his hair stopped smoking and the fire in his eyes went out. He replied just as quietly- the most placid that I'd ever seen him.

Then he continued, louder, "But I stand by my opinion. We need our forces _here_, to deal with the immediate threat."

Aro glanced at him warily. "You need to control yourself brother. Remember what happened last time."

"That is hardly the point." Caius's voice was ice cold. What were they talking about? What was this with all the 'last times' and the mysterious debt with the IOU's and the UOMe's? I had a feeling it had something to do with Caius's gift, werewolves, the mysterious owner of the notebook- Athena- and something about an attack from the Romanians all mixed up into a mess.

"Regardless brother, do you really assume the threat to be immediate? They had made no significant moves against us yet. Nothing is certain as of yet. If we destroy the newborns in America beforehand we can then regroup and be fully prepared for the Romanians."

Caius was losing his cool very quickly. "Does this have something to do with the fact that you are _afraid_ to not aid Carlisle and his incompetent coven? Is that why you have stooped yourself to agree to sanctuary the _human_?" Caius spat the word 'human'.

A flare of anger rushed through me. He had made his dislike of me perfectly clear, and now he was insulting Carlisle and myself right in front of me as though I didn't exist?

"I'd really appreciate it if you didn't insult my family right in front of me." I tried to make my voice as frigid as possible.

Both vampire lords turned to me. A flicker of surprise flitted over their faces at the fact that I wasn't asleep, before they were replaced with several different emotions- Aro, perplexed that I had referred to the Cullens as my family, Caius, annoyed at my interruption. It was obvious I was not meant to have been listening. For vampires, they weren't very observant.

"Ah, Bella," Aro beamed eventually. "We didn't realize you were awake!"

Yeah, thank you Captain Obvious. "Okay…" Be cautious… Be cautious… Caius, the bipolar vampire has just punched a hole in the wall… Not a good time to make him pissed…..

"I assume you are tired yes?"

Uh, _duh_! Of course I'm tired. State the obvious much Aro? "Um, yes…"

Caius gave Aro a brief nod, "We will resume this discussion at a later date brother."

I knew he meant later, when I wasn't around.

Caius grabbed my arm and steered me forcefully out of Aro's room. A female vampire, heartbreakingly beautiful with flowing black hair wearing a long cocktail salmon dress winked at me in the hallway and swept into Aro's room. A moment later I heard a dismayed cry and sounds of scuffling, as though someone was being restrained. "Caius!" the woman yelled in bell like tones, "I'll kill you!" I could hear Aro's laughter in the distance.

"We can fix the wall later, why don't we do somethi…" Aro's voice faded into the distance.

Caius actually seemed slightly anxious as he dragged me down corridors and dark staircases. "Sculpia." He muttered as an explanation. "Aro's wife."

She seemed nice enough. I wondered how she had ended up marrying Aro.

"So what's up with the Romanians?" I asked, curious as to why Aro had looked so serious before. I had thought that the only two expressions on his face were insanely happy, or demented happy.

Big mistake.

Caius yanked me to a halt, "What you heard or saw in that room does not make it past those walls do you understand me?" He hissed.

"Yeah, yeah, ok, sure! I'm not a gossiper you know. And if you didn't want me to know, then you shouldn't have brought me along." I complained, trying to break free of his iron grip.

Caius yanked me closer to him until his filmy ruby eyes were mere centimetres from my own. _Now_ I was afraid. "What business matters Aro and I have are none of your concern you do understand _mortal_?"

"Okay, okay, sure! Will you let me go now please? You're hurting my arm!" I wined, trying to wiggle away.

He released me and began to walk away, this time going too fast _again_.

I ran to keep up. "So, where are we going now?"

I hadn't really expected him to reply, him being all in 'jerk Caius' mode, but he replied anyway. "Your quarters. I believe you said you required rest."

Oh my gosh he remembered! That was unsettling. "Oh, yeah. Thanks." I was however feeling a lot more awake though than before.

We walked for a few more hallways until he broke the silence. "I will send Jane to fetch you more appropriate apparel."

I glanced down at myself, wincing inwardly at my ragged clothing until I realized something. _He noticed_? I felt a rush of warmth. "Thanks!" I said brightly, grinning at him.

Caius's pace slowed by a fraction and he turned his blonde head to cast me a suspicious glare. "And what, pray tell, has led you to leer in such a manner?"

I had to repeat his words several times until I got it. His old fashioned speech was really getting to me. Still, it wasn't enough to ruin my good mood. "You noticed!"

His steps seemed to falter slightly, but is reply, as ever, was disappointing. "I merely dislike the idea of you trailing after me dressed like a vagabond. It is disgraceful to the image of the Volturi and to me."

Yeah. About that feeling of warmth….? It's gone. Caius really knows how to kill it.

We walked in silence to my room, or 'my quarters' as he put it, and apparently someone had been in as the huge pile of inappropriate underwear and flimsy dresses were gone. Relieved as I was that they were gone, I was actually disappointed that there was nothing left for me to wear to sleep in. I felt so grimy I would even have caved to put on one of the lighter dresses to sleep in.

Pointedly ignoring Caius I walked straight to the bathroom and slammed and locked the door. To my surprised pleasure there was a large t-shirt and sweats on the counter. A small card was sitting on top.

_Nice shirt. I thought these might be more suitable for your taste than what I got you before._

_-Jane._

Jane? I thought she hated me!

Ah well, forget and forgive…. She _had_ just gotten me some _clean_ clothing after all.

I showered quickly and was disappointed to realize that I had already used half of my shampoo. That was weird. It was a new bottle and I'd only been here a day. Was my hair _really_ that grimy?

Stepping out I changed swiftly into my new clothes, relishing the feel of the rough cotton. I yanked a brush roughly through my wet hair. For the first time in Volterra I felt almost happy.

That was of course until I stepped outside the bathroom and saw Caius solidly sitting in his previous chair. He could have won a competition with me for stubbornness.

Well _I _wasn't going to back down.

As I walked over to the closet I realized there was something next to the dresser that looked a bit like a fridge. Changing course I realized it was a mini-fridge filled with beer. _What the heck_?

I didn't drink. The closest I'd gotten to being drunk was with Jake and even then I had only drunk half the can. Why was there a mini-fridge stocked with beer? I mean they didn't even provide me with shampoo or soap, but they get me a fridge full of beer?

Well I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of asking why. Hmmm. Could vampires get drunk? Caius was still watching me and it was creeping me out. I suddenly felt self-conscious in my comfortable t-shirt and sweats.

The feeling of homesickness overwhelmed in in a sudden rush. I almost ran back to the closet and slammed the door, seeking refuge in the darkness.

~~~(O.o)~~~

I woke to the sound of someone knocking on the door.

It took me a second to realize that it was the door of my room, not the door of the closet.

Why wasn't Caius answering the door? I was _sleepy_.

The knocking continued.

With a groan of exasperation and defeat I stumbled out of the closet rubbing my eyes.

Caius wasn't in his customary seat by the bookcase was the first thing that I noticed and the second thing was that the person knocking still hadn't come in. That was odd. Being a vampire they could just have knocked the door in.

Or, seeing as the door was unlocked, just walked in.

In any case…. I walked over to the door and yanked it open. If it was Caius I was going to rip his…

"Oh hi Jane…" What did she want?

"Hi Isabella!" The small blond vampire who stood a head shorter than me seemed as shy and awkward as I did. That was new. "Um…. I went shopping and brought you some new clothes!" She chirped up brightly.

At that I saw at least ten shopping bags behind her. She was like a mini Volturi version of Alice. That was… Sweet.

"So… Can I come in?"

I realized I was blocking the doorway quite rudely. I moved aside quickly. "Yeah, sure! I… Thank you- for the clothes, I appreciate it. And it's just Bella."

Jane bounced into my room, looking slightly ridiculous holding so many shopping bags. I quickly grabbed a few and dumped them on my bed gesturing for her to do the same.

She plonked down on my bed her legs swinging childishly. I followed her more cautiously. This was a bit _too_ nice for someone who I thought hated my guts.

"So Is-Bella, um, I think we got off on the wrong foot, um, and seeing as you're going to be staying for a while, I was wondering if you'd like to be friends?"

She gave me a uncertain but hopeful smile.

I couldn't help but grin back. She reminded me so much of Alice. "Sure! I'd love to be!"

Jane gave a squeal of delight and dragged me into a bone crushing hug. "Um, Jane- ribs- cracking- Ow- can't- breathe-"

Jane instantly released me. "Sorry! It's just I haven't had any friends for over three hundred years. Everyone here is afraid of my power, and the Masters… Well they're my superiors, not really my friends."

I felt a rush of sympathy for Jane. She was trapped an eternal fifteen year old with no friends because everyone was scared of her power. Everyone except me.

"Why did you hate me so much in the beginning?" I couldn't help asking.

"I didn't really hate you, at first I was angry that you, a human, couldn't be affected by my gift, then I was frustrated because after three/four hundred years I find a potential someone who wouldn't be afraid of me, and she's about to be killed. So I didn't let myself get attached to the idea of you being my friend."

I grabbed Jane's stone cold hand. "Well I'm here now! And I'd love to be your friend!"

We sat there beaming like two twin idiots. I had a friend here in Volterra.

* * *

**Thank you to:**

**Mikaela1402, jh831, MidnightPixie25,kjj013, MoonChaos, Enchanted0ne, hulagal13, and mermaid-amazon for following this story**

**Mikaela1402, MidnightPixie25, kjj013, Brittany009, mermaid-amazon, Enchanted0ne for favoriting this story**

I have no guarantees about how often I will be able to update now. I may be able to in Spring Break but no promises. I know for sure I will be able to in summer as often as possible to make it up to you guys, but I don't know until then. Sorry.

Also, I have been looking for a story for forever and have had no luck on finding it. Look at my profile under my stories for more details. Also, I decided to add two more parts on my egyptian story because in my opinion if I don't, it seems to abrupt in those sections.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: Bella

"So where's Caius?"

"It's Friday."

I shot Jane a confused look. What did it being Friday have to do with anything?

"Fridays are when the three Masters 'hold court' and dish out punishments for criminals or offenders. They also on rare occasions listen for pleas of help from covens and convene on whether or not to deal with possible threats to reveal our existence."

My mind flashed back to last night and the whole talk about the Romanians. I was about to bring up the subject until I remembered Caius's warning.

I swallowed down the words and decided to ask a different question. "Who are the Romanians?"

Jane stiffened by my side. I didn't think she would answer until she did. "The Romanians were the former rulers of Volterra, their two leader's names were Stefan and Vladimir. They held our position of power in the past and used it to their advantage. They ruled the other vampire covens and nomads like dictators until a thousand years back when Aro, Caius and Marcus overthrew them. The Romanians had lost but as a last resort they kidnapped Aro and Caius's sister, Marcus's wife Didyme and demanded that they surrender."

Jane paused, as though trying to remember, but in reality trying to steady herself. I'd seen the look before on Charlie's face when he was about to tell a family the bad news. I knew this story wouldn't have a happy ending.

"Before they could decide though, Didyme threw herself into the fireplace so her family wouldn't have to choose. She burned to death before their eyes. The Volturi won then but the Romanians escaped to hide in Romania and have been trying to overthrow us ever since."

I felt like crying. No wonder Marcus was so dead-like. She'd committed suicide right in front of his eyes. For a good cause admittedly, but still.

Suddenly Jane sat bolt upright, and turned to me. "Can I please dress you up for today please, please, please, please, please?" Her words were blending together by the speed of her excitement. "I have got the most gorgeous outfit in one of these bags and it would go perfectly with you!"

Yup. Definitely an Alice.

As Jane started digging into the bags, she began throwing random items at me telling me to try them on, then snatching them away a moment later with an excuse of having something better, until finally after two hours, I was dressed in faded white skinny jeans with a pale blue button up blouse and half of my hair was up in a fish-tail plait while the rest hung loosely, sleek and shiny over my shoulders. I wore a pair of sneakers and I had a few touches of makeup applied by Jane. I looked great.

Certainly an improvement from yesterday.

Jane was wearing a pair of jeans too, hers a dark blue colour which contrasted with the one-shoulder burgundy red top that she wore that brought out the intense red in her eyes.

During the intense 'makeover' session, I had learnt that while totally obsessed with clothes, Jane liked more _practical_ good looking clothes. Clothes that looked great but were useless didn't really go high up in Jane's esteem. She also tried to go more for _comfort_ than Alice. Jane was fun.

Apparently it was Heidi who had persuaded Jane to fill my closet with dresses and offensive lingerie before. Her head was MINE.

I didn't really feel like exploring so I asked Jane to tell me about herself. Apparently she and Alec were twins and born in the middle ages in England. Their father was the leader of their small town where the most feared were witches. Their mother was accused of being a witch and was burned alive by her own husband when they were only seven.

Alec whose gift was to create a fog that cut off all five senses, as a human had always been able to block out pain, or numb his own senses when their father beat them in his drunken rages. Jane when she turned eight, discovered that when she was angry with someone, they would get intense blinding headaches. They were sentenced to burn at stake on their fifteenth birthday after their father accused them of being demons.

Aro and the Volturi had been passing by when they happened across the town and stopped to feed. Aro on a whim had saved and turned the two of them just as they were about to be burned.

"You know Aro's not really that bad."

"What?"

"Aro," Jane continued. "He may be a power hungry guy who will stop at almost nothing to get what he wants, but he's actually really nice. Eccentric and a bit loony and very obsessive but ruling a coven this huge takes its toll right?"

I had to think about it. Creepy as he was, Aro hadn't really given me much reason to think badly of him since I got here.

It also occurred to me that while Jane just looked like a kid- three years younger than me, she wasn't. She was someone who I could trust to be there for me in the six months I was here for. Inside, Jane wasn't the sadistic bitchy girl I thought she was.

Something soft hit me and knocked me sideways off the bed.

"What the?" I struggled upright, brushing strands of hair out of my face. Jane was holding a pillow in her hand her ruby eyes twinkling.

"Oh no you didn't."

Jane tossed me her pillow and grabbed another. "Pillow fight?"

"Nah uh. You're gonna cheat with your vampire strength and speed."

Jane looked at me with puppy dog eyes. "C'mon, _please_? I promise, cross my dead heart that I won't cheat okay?"

I was tempted. I didn't have pillow fights with Edward, he'd be too _mature_ for that, Alice wouldn't because it'd mess up her makeup, or hair, or clothes, or accessories, or whatever… Emmett wouldn't because he'd crush me and I'd only ever had a pillow fight once with Jake before he turned into a wolf and Edward came back and he'd stop talking to me.

"You're on!" I yelled, lunging across the bed, scattering bags everywhere, pummelling Jane with my pillow.

She squealed in shock and wiggled free, retaliating by hitting me with her own pillow. I elbowed her in the gut- giving myself a bruise, damn vampires were hard- and struggled upright. Jane lunged for me knocking me down, my pillow tearing underneath her fingernails. Feathers were everywhere.

I was laughing now. This was _fun_! I dug my nails into her pillow too and with a muffled ripping sound, Jane's sight was obscured by hundreds of feathers.

I tried to pin her down, but she rolled sideways snagging the sheet off the bed and entangling us both in it. We were now just basically failing around, trying to hit the other, not really having any idea of where anything _was_. I lost my grip on my pillow and was just free of the blanket when the door opened.

~~~(O.o)~~~

Jane had just gotten to her feet, her hair filled with feathers and a fading smile on her face. "Felix, Demetri."

My first thought was that them two were always together, like the two evildoers, buff and brains. Emmet and Jasper.

"We thought we heard someone getting some, and we thought we'd barge in to catch them in the act. Jane, I didn't know you were gay." Demetri said it all with a perfect poker face.

Did he just say what I thought he just said? The feathers were floating down now, making a nice blanket of white across the room.

Suddenly Felix broke into a smile and smirked at us, "We're joking! Geez you girls need to calm it down a notch. We heard there was a pillow fight in progress, are there any spaces available?"

Felix was definitely an Emmett.

I considered. Provided Felix didn't crush me…. "Ok, you're in. Grab a pillow. Rules are this- do not break the human, and no cheating by using vampire strength or speed okay?"

Felix blurred to the bed, snatching a pillow up. He eyed me evilly. "Piece of cake. You're going down Swan."

"You're going down…er, Volturi guard…. Thing." I stumbled over the words. A. I didn't know whether 'downer' was a word, B. I didn't know Felix's last name.

"Pathetic." Felix was running a tongue across his perfect painfully white teeth.

"Boys against girls?" Jane challenged suddenly. "We win, you guys need to go around wearing the 'Stupid' and 'Stupider' t-shirts for a month."

I glanced at her. 'Stupid' and 'Stupider' t-shirts?

Jane grinned at me, "A Christmas present I got them two years ago."

Demetri appeared on the other side of the bed, tossing a pillow from one hand to the other. "And if _we_ win, you girls will run around the throne room fifty times…. Naked." He looked at us maliciously. "You can still back out darlin's."

My breathing stopped. "What?"

Jane was glaring at them both. "I knew you'd get back at me for that." Then in an undertone that I knew the other vampires could hear perfectly well, "Last time I challenged Felix and Demetri to a fight between me and Alec without our gifts, they lost and had to run around the throne room human speed naked."

I laughed with her. Did I want to risk losing? I was just a human versus two giant vampire dudes. Then I saw Jane out of the corner of my eye, her eyes flashing defiantly.

It was only a few laps around a throne room naked, who cared?

"I have another suggestion."

Felix raised his eyebrows. "Yes?"

"The loser does both. And they need to run around the throne room a hundred times, not fifty, at human speed. Break the rules and you automatically lose." I was grinning wildly, trying not to think about what would happen if we lost." I stuck out my hand to Felix. "Take it or leave it."

He hesitated a bit before his eyes tightened. He shook my hand. "We accept."

My grin grew even wider.

"Excellent."

I saw Jane shaking hands with Demetri and then we attacked.

~~~(O.o)~~~

To say the least Felix kept his promise, but he wasn't particularly gentle all the same. He charged me, and knocked me across half the room before I could scamper free and start throwing things at him. A hairbrush, hair straightener, nail polish, bag of accessories and a hand mirror all went his way. My aim, being the same as usual, meant that everything I threw missed.

Then Jane tackled Felix, sending him crashing to the ground and I was facing Demetri. He was snagged in the blanket that was on the floor, the closet doors askew, and I didn't waste my opportunity. I snagged a fairly intact pillow and launched myself at him, pounding mercilessly on his head and torso.

I knew with vampire strength he could have easily thrown me off, but if he did he would be forfeiting the match.

With a sudden heave he threw me off sideways so that now I was under the blanket with him on top smothering me with his own pillow. "Do you surrender?"

I kneed him in the 'between the legs' area and flipped him over again. "Do you?"

Felix suddenly slammed into me, and then we dissolved into a blur of laughter, pillows, blankets, shrapnel from around the room and feathers.

Sometimes I was attacking Felix, then I was defending against Demetri, and all in all it was the most fun I actually had…. Ever. Even with the Cullens. Even with Jake.

Demetri had surrendered after I kicked him in the balls for a second time and now it was just Jane and I after Felix even though it was obvious we had already won. He was persistent, I'd give him that.

Now Jane and I were perched on top of him, hammering at him with our pillows. "Do you surrender?" I yelled at him. It seemed appropriate to yell.

He bucked violently, causing me to fall off him sideways facing the door.

I froze, my smile fixed in place, my pillow falling to the ground.

Jane was still struggling with Felix.

"Um, Jane…."

"Yeah, Bella? What?"

I felt backwards with my hand until I came in contact with her shoulder. I yanked her around so she was facing the direction of the door. "We got company."

"Oh yeah! Oh yeah baby! I won, I rock this world now I get to see you girls dance naked across the… throne…. room…." Felix sat up his cocky expression melting into one of complete horror.

Aro, Caius and Marcus along with the rest of the guard were standing in the doorway of the room.

Felix said it all. "We're dead."

* * *

thank you to

thelonelyapple, SerenityPax, .50, and Matthias Stormcrow


End file.
